Game 2: Canadiens vs. Penguins: Moving On Up
The Montreal Canadiens will face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second game of the season on Saturday night. Here's what you need to know ahead of the game.
At long last, the Montreal Canadiens will play the second game of their season on Saturday night as they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins. Like the Habs, the Pens have played only one game so far, and it was on the road, so this will be another home opener. Chances are it will be a bit louder than the lukewarm reception Scotiabank Arena gave the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
Last year, Montreal and Pittsburgh met in three games, all in December. The Habs won two of the duels, and their only loss came in the shootout in the final faceoff on December 21. Over the season, the Canadiens outscored the Penguins 11-5 and will no doubt be looking to improve on that. However, Pittsburgh has won seven of the last 10 games between the two teams, but that goes back to March 2023; the Habs have come a long way since then.
The Pens brought in some new players this offseason, including Nicholas Robertson, Andrei Kuzmenko, Hendrix Lapierre, Declan Carlile, Trevor Van Riemsdyk, and Kaeden Korczak. Just like Martin St-Louis’ men, Sidney Crosby and co. won their first game of the season, but they did it in dominating fashion, beating their Pennsylvania rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, 7-0.
The starting netminders have yet to be confirmed, but it would be a shock if Jakub Dobes wasn’t back between the posts after his first-game performance. Dobes has only faced the hosts once; he was on duty in last season’s 4-3 shootout loss and therefore has a 2.77 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. Meanwhile, Samuel Montembeault has a 2-3-1 record in seven games against the Pens with a 3.72 GAA and an .880 SV.
On the other side, Artus Silovs was in net for the Pens’ shutout win earlier this week. He’s only faced the Habs once so far and has won the game. He has a 2.77 GAA and a .880 SV against them. Meanwhile, Sergei Murashov, who only has five NHL games to his name, has never taken on the Sainte-Flanelle.
Up front, the Canadiens have yet to confirm if Oliver Kapanen will be back in the lineup. However, logic dictates that Florian Xhekaj should still be in the press gallery, since the Penguins do not play an especially physical style. Chris Kreider is the Canadiens’ highest scorer against Dan Muse’s men; he has put up 38 points against them in 47 games. Captain Nick Suzuki is a distant second with 13 points in 18 duels, while alternate captain Josh Anderson has 12 points in 29 tilts.
Unsurprisingly, Crosby is the Pens’ most productive player against the Habs with 72 points in 55 games, followed by Evgeny Malkin, who’s on 64 points in 52 games. Erik Karlsson comes in third with 44 points in 55 games, just ahead of Kris Letang, who has 41 points in 50 games.
The game is scheduled for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on Sportsnet in English and on TVA Sports in French. Trevor Hanson and Liam Maaskant will officiate the game, while David Brisebois and Jesse Marquis will serve as linesmen. Which team will remain unbeaten this season? Can the Canadiens go home with a 2-0 record and have a winning streak when they play their home opener on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes? Time will tell.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.
